Suresh Kalmadi

2022-01-10T16:44:03Z

2405:201:4013:B155:E419:21DA:8E30:40:

{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{undue weight|date=August 2015}}
{{POV|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image =Suresh Kalmadi 2009.jpg
|name = Suresh Kalmadi
|caption =In 2009
|office= 9th [[Indian Olympic Association|President of Indian Olympic Association]]
|predecessor= [[Sivanthi Adithan]]
|successor= [[Vijay Kumar Malhotra]] (as acting president)
|term_start= 1996
|term_end= 26 April 2011
|office1= [[Member of parliament, Lok Sabha|Member]] of the [[Indian Parliament]] <br /> for [[Pune (Lok Sabha constituency)|Pune]]
|predecessor1= [[Anna Joshi]]
|successor1= [[Vitthal Tupe]]
|term_start1= 1996
|term_end1= 1998
|predecessor2= [[Pradeep Rawat (politician)|Pradeep Rawat]]
|successor2= [[Anil Shirole]]
|term_start2= 2004
|term_end2= 2014
|office3= [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of State for Railways]]
|term_start3= 1995
|term_end3= 1996
|party = [[Indian National Congress]] (1977{{ndash}}2015)<br/>[[Indian Youth Congress (Socialist)]] (1981{{ndash}}1986)
|birth_date ={{Birth date and age|1944|05|01|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Madras]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
|residence = Kalmadi House, Dr. Ketkar Road, [[Erandwane]], Pune
|spouse = Meera Kalmadi
|source = [http://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=3697 Government of India]
}}

'''Suresh Kalmadi''' (born 1 May 1944) is an Indian politician who spent 10 months in jail from April 2011 to January 2012 on corruption charges related to his time in charge of the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] in Delhi. He was accused of awarding a contract to install the timing, scoring and results system for the event to Swiss Timing at vastly inflated rates. The official, also President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1996 to 2012, was charged with conspiracy, forgery and misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act but has so far never faced trial.<ref name="The Times of India">{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/Tainted-Suresh-Kalmadi-loses-AAA-elections/articleshow/20856069.cms | title=Tainted Suresh Kalmadi loses AAA elections | work=Sports | date=1 July 2013 | agency=The Times of India | access-date=26 February 2015 | author=PTI | location=India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/tainted-suresh-kalmadi-loses-aaa-elections/20130701.htm|title=Tainted Suresh Kalmadi loses AAA elections|date=1 July 2013|work=rediff.com}}</ref> He was formerly a member of the [[Indian National Congress]]. He was a member of parliament from [[Pune]] till May 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sureshkalmadi.info |title=Official website of Suresh Kalmadi |access-date=2014-02-11}}</ref> He is alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices in relation to the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] during his tenure as president of [[Indian Olympic Association]] and chairman of Commonwealth Games 2010. He was charged with conspiracy, forgery, misconduct and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and later arrested for the same in April 2014, but as has yet not faced trial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/cwg-scam-cbi-files-first-chargesheet-against-suresh-kalmadi-8-others-107198|title=CWG scam: CBI files first chargesheet against Suresh Kalmadi, 8 others|work=NDTV.com}}</ref> In December 2016, the [[Indian Olympic Association]] (IOA) named Suresh Kalmadi as its lifetime patron. However, he refused to accept the post until he was able to clear his name.<ref>{{cite news |last1=From Hindustan Times Correspondent |title=Suresh Kalmadi not to accept Indian Olympic Association post of life-president |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/suresh-kalmadi-not-to-accept-indian-olympic-association-post-of-life-president-report/story-I3al4LSndXOOBRiyYplvPO.html |access-date=15 October 2018 |date=28 December 2016 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Kalmadi was born to Mangalore-based Dr. K. Shamrao Kalmadi and Shanta Rao Kalmadi.{{Citation needed|date=August 2015}} He speaks Konkani, Marathi, English, Hindi and Tulu language. He was educated at [[St. Vincent's High School]] and [[Fergusson College]], Pune. Kalmadi joined the [[National Defence Academy]] in 1960 and was commissioned as a pilot in the [[Indian Air Force]], serving between 1964 and 1972. He then became an instructor with the Air Force Training Team of the NDA from 1972 to 1974 before retiring from the IAF as a squadron leader.<ref name="Kothari 2011">{{cite web | last=Kothari | first=Vishwas | title=Suresh Kalmadi: An ex-pilot who flew high in networking, politics | website=The Times of India | date=26 April 2011 | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Suresh-Kalmadi-An-ex-pilot-who-flew-high-in-networking-politics/articleshow/8086250.cms | access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref>

He is married to Meera Kalmadi. The couple have two daughters and one son.<ref name="The Telegraph">{{cite web |last=Thevar|first=Velly| title=My political style is a sporting style. Generally we win | website=The Telegraph | url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080706/jsp/7days/story_9510376.jsp | date= 6 July 2008 | access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref>

==Political career==
In 1977, Kalmadi became the President of the Indian Youth Congress, Pune, and the next year took over President-ship of the Youth Congress, Maharashtra, a post he held from 1978 to 1980.{{Citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=October 2016}} In 1980, as the President of the Maharashtra Athletics Association, Kalmadi undertook the selection trials for the Marathon team to represent the country at the Moscow Olympics. This soon led to the establishment of the Pune International Marathon.{{Citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=October 2016}}

Kalmadi served as president of the [[Indian Youth Congress (Socialist)]] 1981{{ndash}}1986.<ref>india.gov.in. ''[http://archive.india.gov.in/govt/loksabhampbiodata.php?mpcode=3697 Detailed Profile: Shri Suresh Kalmadi]''</ref>

He was a member of the [[Rajya Sabha]] for three terms from 1982 to 1996, and again in 1998.

Kalmadi took over as the Chairman of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation and in 1989 started the Pune Festival.{{Citation needed|date=August 2015}}

He was also elected to the [[11th Lok Sabha]] in 1996, and to the [[14th Lok Sabha]] in 2004. During the tenure of [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]] as the [[Prime Minister of India]], Suresh Kalmadi served as the Minister of State for Railways from 1995 to 1996.<ref name="The Telegraph"/> That year he presented the Railway Budget. He is the only Union Minister of State to have done so.<ref name="NDTV"/>

Kalmadi served as the President of the [[Indian Olympic Association]] from 1996 to 2012.<ref name="NDTV"/><ref name=re-elect>{{cite news |first=Amit |last=Vaid |title=Indian Olympic Association Re-elects Suresh Kalmadi As President |url=http://abclive.in/abclive_sports/indian-olympic-assciation-suresh-kalmadi-president.html |work=ABC Live |date=11 October 2008 |access-date=14 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015151539/http://abclive.in/abclive_sports/indian-olympic-assciation-suresh-kalmadi-president.html |archive-date=15 October 2008}}</ref> He also served as the president of [[Asian Athletics Association]] from 2000 to 2013 and was named its ''Life President'' in 2015.<ref name="dna 2015">{{cite web | title=Suresh Kalmadi given Asian Athletics Association's President's award | website=dna | date=4 June 2015 | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-suresh-kalmadi-given-asian-athletics-association-s-president-s-award-2092260 | access-date=5 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="NDTV">{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/who-is-suresh-kalmadi-74616|title=Who is Suresh Kalmadi?|work=NDTV.com}}</ref>

[[File:Vishwa Konkani Sammelan.jpg|thumb|right|Suresh Kalmadi at the inauguration of the First World Konkani Convention in 1995. He is dressed in a black coat, to the right.]]

==Controversies==
===Corruption related to Formula One 2011===
Kalmadi, as the [[Indian Olympic Association]], signed an agreement to bring the [[Formula One]] Grand Prix to India in 2007. Later that year, the UK-based organizers Formula One Administration Limited signed a {{INRConvert|16|b|year=2007|lk=r}} contract in this regard with India-based JPSK Sports Private Limited. Records obtained by ''[[The Indian Express]]'' showed that Pune-based Sulba Realty Private Limited was a 13% shareholder in JPSK, along with [[Jaypee Group]] (74%). Kalmadi's son Sumeer was a director in Sulba Realty at the time, which would have implied a conflict of interest. While the JP in JPSK stood for Jaypee Group, it was alleged that the SK was a reference to Suresh/Sumeer Kalmadi. Records from the [[Registrar of Companies, India]] showed that a year after the company was floated, Kalmadi's daughter, Payal Aditya Bhartia, and his son-in-law, Aditya Bhartia, joined JPSK as independent directors.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sarin|first=Ritu|title=For Kalmadi, F1 is Family 1st|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/for-kalmadi-f1-is-family-1st/505516/0|access-date=26 April 2011|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=22 August 2009|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5yEF3hVts?url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/for-kalmadi-f1-is-family-1st/505516/0|archive-date=26 April 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Commonwealth Games 2010===
{{main|Concerns and controversies over the 2010 Commonwealth Games}}
Kalmadi's conduct around the [[2010 Commonwealth Games]] came under scrutiny, with the [[Central Vigilance Commission]] (India's anti-corruption organisation) asking the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] to probe certain aspects of the games' organisation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-29/india/28291275_1_cvc-scanner-cwg-projects-commonwealth-games|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103125745/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-29/india/28291275_1_cvc-scanner-cwg-projects-commonwealth-games|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2012|title=14 Commonwealth Games projects under CBI, CVC scanner
|author=Thakur, Pradeep|access-date=3 August 2010|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=29 July 2010}}</ref>
For this, the opposition demanded Kalmadi's resignation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_bjp-demands-suresh-kalmadi-s-resignation_1422349 |title=BJP demands Suresh Kalmadi's resignation – India – DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=12 August 2010 |access-date=2010-10-12}}</ref>

On 25 April 2011, CBI arrested former CWG Organising Committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi in the Timing-Scoring-Result (TSR) case. He was arrested under Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/kalmadi-arrested-by-cbicwg-scam-case_538069.html|title=Kalmadi arrested by CBI in CWG scam case|work=moneycontrol.com}}</ref>

On 20 May 2011, CBI filed the first chargesheet in a special CBI court against Kalmadi. The CBI alleged that he was the main accused in awarding TSR system contract to a Swiss firm. The charge sheet said, "Kalmadi is the main accused as he was the person with all supreme powers. He had the supreme over-riding powers in the Organising Committee of the CWG, 2010." In addition to Kalmadi, the CBI named two companies and eight persons including OC former Secretary General Lalit Bhanot and former Director General VK Verma as accused.<ref name="CWG: Court takes cognisance of chargesheet against Kalmadi">{{cite news|title=CWG: Court takes cognisance of chargesheet against Kalmadi|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/163568/content/216700/beauty-mathematics.html|access-date=17 August 2012|newspaper=Deccan Herald|date=23 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="CWG scam: Kalmadi named 'main accused' in first CBI charge sheet">{{cite news|title=CWG scam: Kalmadi named 'main accused' in first CBI charge sheet|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2035048.ece|access-date=17 August 2012|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 May 2011|location=Chennai, India|first=Vinay|last=Kumar}}</ref>

Kalmadi's membership of the Indian National Congress Party was suspended after being arrested and charged with corruption. On 26 April 2011 he was sacked from the post of president of the [[Indian Olympic Association]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/Tained-Kalmadi-sacked-as-IOA-chief/articleshow/4371548.cms|title=Tained Kalmadi sacked as IOA chief|date=26 April 2011|work= The Times of India|access-date=26 April 2011}}</ref> On 1 July 2013 he lost the election for the post of President of the Asian Athletics Association, a post which he had held for 13 consecutive years, losing to Qatar's Dahlan Jumaan Al-Hamad.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/scam-tainted-suresh-kalmadi-loses-asian-athletics-association-poll/articleshow/20856415.cms | work=The Times of India | title=Scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi loses Asian Athletics Association poll | date=1 July 2013}}</ref>

Suresh Kalmadi was in jail for 10 months and the court asked him to pay a surety amount of {{INRConvert|500|k|year=2012}}.<ref name=statesman>{{cite news|title=Kalmadi gets bail after nine months in jail|url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=397359&catid=35|access-date=19 January 2012|newspaper=The Statesman|date=19 January 2012}}</ref>
Kalmadi was allowed by a Delhi court on 13 July 2012 to go to London for 2012 Olympics.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3635093.ece | title= CWG scam: Court allows Kalmadi to visit London for Olympics| date= 13 July 2012 | location=Chennai, India| work=The Hindu}}</ref> He was, however, restrained on 25 July 2012 by the Delhi High court from participating in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, saying his participation can cause "embarrassment" to the nation.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3682543.ece| title=Kalmadi restrained from going to London for Olympics | date= 25 July 2012 | location=Chennai, India| work=The Hindu}}</ref>

He claimed to be suffering from [[dementia]] during course of investigation while in Tihar jail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/suresh-kalmadi-illness-dementia-may-hinder-probe-in-cwg-scam/1/145983.html|title=Suresh Kalmadi diagnosed with dementia, Games probe may suffer|work=intoday.in}}</ref> Medical tests were not conclusive to be able to prove his claim.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140222174710/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mri-fails-to-support-kalmadis-dementia-claim/170541-3.html ]</ref>

{{Commons category}}

==References==

{{Reflist|colwidth=40em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kalmadi, Suresh}}
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Railway Ministers of India]]
[[Category:Politicians from Pune]]
[[Category:15th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Indian sports executives and administrators]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]
[[Category:2010 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:11th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:14th Lok Sabha members]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Inmates of Tihar Jail]]
[[Category:Marathi politicians]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Suresh Kalmadi